I’m going to simplify my list. I won’t be listing what is considered the greatest movies ever made (or the most ‘well made’) that lack entertainment value (you know the type, known strictly for great acting or technical accomplishments) and I won’t be listing the most significant movies ever made like AFI does (a qualification that places a ton of crappy movies on their lists dubbed ‘greatest’). I’ll instead simply be listing the ones I consider the most enjoyable.

^Good Doctor, we're not here to criticize people's opinions on what movies are great (I only add this preface to help brace you for a couple of stinkers that I've slipped into my list that should surely outdo those two).

Do you like Mark Kermode too? And thank you for starting your post with a brief warning, otherwise I may have collapsed at the sight of The Hangover and Transformers in a 'greatest movies' list.

Anyway, both you and Goliath have lists of impressive length. There are movies I missed off of my list, but I haven't seen that many 'great' movies.

Well, there’s no accounting for taste. Everyone is free to like whatever they want, and to dislike whatever they want. Also , everyone has his/her own definition of what makes a good movie in their book. As for me, I look at a number of things: story, characters, plot, production aspects, and personal appeal. Three of my top ten choices have been criticized here, and though that’s valid (for, after all… everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion), I will explain here why I chose them. First we have…

1.TitanicThis is one of the best films ever, for me at least. Going to see it when it first came out in 1997 was an experience in itself. I went with a group of my friends, and we had to wait two hours in line to see it, and then we nearly didn’t find any seats! Lucky for us some people sitting in the row we wanted made room for us so we could be together. The movie is a beautiful love story. But when you stop to think that outside the “Jack/Rose” scenario this is actually a true story, it really gets to you. We were all in tears to see the suffering and deaths of the characters. Add Jack and Rose’s story on top, and you have a real tear-jerker! The music was fantastic and the special effects… simply amazing! And the sets and costumes were incredible as well. Now it’s coming out in 3D and you can bet I’ll go see it. I heard the transfer of it is fantastic! No wonder this film was number 1 for such a long time until it was dethroned by…

2. AvatarYup… the movie about the tall, blue aliens. Honestly, I didn’t even think much about it until I got to see it in IMAX 3D. All I can say is…WOW!!! This film is soooo well done it’s simply breathtaking! You have to admit that even though you may not like the story, those backgrounds, colors, and lighting effects make this film an artistic marvel. And for me at least, the story was great, though I did find similarities with Titanic and with Dances With Wolves. The world of Pandora was brought to life in a way that had not been seen before in the big screen. And those special effects… it’s amazing what they can do nowadays! So as you can see, a good love story can be told with different filming techniques, which brings me to…

3. Beauty and the BeastSimply the best animated love story I’ve ever seen. And I daresay it’s the best Disney Animated Feature in the entire canon! It has a special magic unsurpassed by any other animated film. It has a deeply moving story with a great moral, a strong, sweet and believable heroine in Belle, a villain-turned-victim-and-hero in the Beast, and a cold and narcissistic villain in Gaston. Not to mention that the object characters were hilarious too! The music is simply awesome and breathtaking and the animation is superb. No wonder many say this is the crown jewel in Disney’s Animated Canon. And I simply love that Broadway feel to it. But aside from that, this movie is also one of my most special and cherished memories of my childhood. My dad (who passed away recently) took me to see it when it first came out in 1991. I was only 12 and going through a difficult time of my life. I felt lonely and unpopular as I didn’t have many friends and was bullied. My self-esteem was low and I blamed it on the fact that I wasn’t blessed with good looks then (that fortunately has changed now!). My dad took me to see the movie and used it to teach me a lesson about how what’s inside a person is what really counts and not the outside. He held me close and hugged me during the entire film, then took me out to dinner to talk and to let me know that he was there for me. It was amazing! That night will live forever in my heart.

So as you can see, there are lots of different reasons for liking a movie. But everyone is entitled to have opinions of their own, and the question of whether people like my choices for films or not is not something that takes away my sleep. But I did want to give this little insight just so people can stop to think a little and not be so quick to judge. Like my grandfather always used to say: “Colors were made for different tastes!”

These are some of my all around favorite movies that I can watch over and over and not get tired of them:

<b>Matilda (1996)</b>
<img src="http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc462/christopher_TCUIH/e9399b47.jpg" border="0" alt="">
I watched Matilda yesterday and I remembered again how much I love this movie. It is just all around entertaining. Miss Trunchbull is the best. I can quote this movie all day and I was!

It really feels like we're building up to a collective list for a Hurt-or-Heal game.

I completely understand about personal perspective, etc. But there are just too many movies here where it feels like the people choosing really didn't consider the object of this thread. To choose movies they think reflect the greatest films in the history of cinema. And unless you can make a serious case for your personal favorites being highly groundbreaking, influential, or flawless films... I don't think you should list them. I'm not saying: explain them all right now, that you have to explain them, etc. But stop casually listing movies you liked.

@ Lazario: Well, I did both, listing both what I consider the greatest films ever made and, later, my personal favorites --with a lot over overlapping. But looking at your list, I don't think you're the right person to make this kind of criticism, sorry.

Clearly, there's been a misunderstanding. I wasn't referring to everyone's selections other than my own. (And, frankly, you honestly believe I am that big a dickhead that I would imply: "everyone else's lists suck but mine"?! That's deeply insulting.) I think almost everyone did a great job. As a matter of fact, my list looks the way it does because of the films you, Frankenollie, and jpanimation already selected. You guys took care of most of the older era classics. Surely, you're not saying you disapprove of Repulsion (have you seen it?), The Day the Earth Stood Still (again: have you seen it?), All About Eve, and Carnival of Souls. They're classics. But I'm not sure I saw them on anyone else's lists. I made my list, very much like the one I made in the Best Albums of 2000-2009 thread, as a way to make sure certain kinds of movies weren't forgotten in the overall collection of our lists together. The titles themselves are just tokens, though I believe I could defend any of them (as I proved with Killer Klowns from Outer Space on the last page, in response to Flanger Hanger who still needs to see the movie). The last thing my list is is casual.

I was referring to inclusions such as The Pacifier, Legally Blonde, and Nacho Libre. A few movies per maybe 3 people's lists. Movies that, as I explained, I believe can't be argued by anyone as being more than casually enjoyed movies. I still agree that we shouldn't single people out expecting them to explain. But, as I myself explained, I believe when we list something here, we should be listing it because we could make a serious case for our personal favorites being highly groundbreaking, influential, or flawless films... I'm not arguing that everyone's making dreadful mistakes, I'm arguing that the integrity of this exercise is compromised when people suggest that (let's go back to Hollywood for a minute) any Vin Diesel film is a classic that would hold up as long as / as well as, let's say, Die Hard (which I completely support your enthusiasm for even though the only one of those movies I sat through all the way was Part II and I remember having a lot of fun with it). (Oh, and before anyone has the idea to say Pitch Black, let me counter with: Aliens.)

Goliath wrote:

But looking at your list, I don't think you're the right person to make this kind of criticism

I took my list very seriously, I'll have you know. And, clearly, I also anticipated what other people would be trying to do making choices such as Legally Blonde and The Pacifier. Trying to basically find Hollywood films helmed by directors whose names haven't exactly risen to the level of a Hitchcock, Kubrick, Scorcese, De Mille, or Spielberg. For example, and perhaps your outlook here can be useful: have there been any good romantic comedies made after, let's say, the Audrey Hepburn era? Any really classic ones? I named more than one for a couple of reasons. But, you'll notice that nobody here even thought to name When Harry Met Sally. Which many people consider to be the single definitive (Hollywood) romantic comedy and the best of 2 decades worth of (mainstream Hollywood) cinema. I haven't seen that movie enough times / I don't remember it well enough to put it on the list, so I went with Pretty Woman. The performances are dynamic, as is nearly every aspect of the movie. That movie has proven to stand the test of time with many people. People remember it and love it and it made several people huge movie stars. Anyway, you have to let movies make up their own rules and judge them by that. I think, certainly in comparison to Legally Blonde which sets out to make Elle look smart and instead they just made her look like an idiot for cheap laughs, Pretty Woman is a movie about a strong person who actually earns her emotions when the movie gets serious and her happy ending. (I guess I decided to go into this much detail on this movie because I actually believe it may look the most suspect movie on my list.)

As for my list, you can tell it was sorted by genres (which is important since the mindset of playing with genre expectations in filmmakers is literally the reason Quentin Tarantino started making movies and got a reputation), I believe I said at the end that it wasn't finished, and, again I would defend each and every one of those movies. And, pretty well I think. We talked before about it being possible to separate one's idea of what they just like seeing and what is an actual standard of good moviemaking. And if you remember that thread about our 30 Favorite Movies of All-Time, you'll see just how much restraining I did from just naming personal favorites. I exercised an incredible sense of restraint and have a great sense of compare & contrast built-in (for example: turn the culture back to the 90's and compare Freeway to Hard Candy). You know what a huge horror fan I am and look at how short that list is, comparatively. Also: consider how many of these movies I selected because of their progressive views on sexual politics. A lot of best movie lists don't give much thought to movies about, and marketed to, women. When you think about it like that, I'm shocked that you yourself neglected Welcome to the Dollhouse. (Have you seen it?)

As for what I think I might want to add to the list now... when I think of how much I hate sci-fi, I appreciate Westworld (1973) all the more. The Stepford Wives (1975) is a little slow and could use more tension, yet that still doesn't diminish the movie's power when we get to the final TERRIFYING scene (set to tranquil music). That's an interesting example because a Greatest Films list needs a movie about feminism that applies to everyday household America but I'm strapped to think of a better one.

Okay, at the start of this reply, I was being very careful. I think we're doing pretty good right now and the last thing I want is for us to slip into our old pattern... But, that is an outright patronizing thing to say to another person, in any regard or context. And there's no excuse for it. No matter what attitude you may have thought I had in my last post.

Next time, will you maybe try to consider what the other person may be saying before you insult them? I saw you say in the Sitepocalypse thread that you thought people here were blaming you for the confrontations you get in and that that must change. I agree. But you know it takes two people for these things to happen. You're going to have to change the way you argue too.

I'm still cynical of you, I admit. But I have tried very hard on multiple occasions to have civil discussions with you. People like Amy and Frankenollie think we're both capable of getting beyond our problem. I've also been told nobody on the board likes seeing us bicker. With this in mind, can you try to be more understanding in the future? Maybe ask for an explanation from me when you believe I'm being abusive of others or am making a thoughtless argument?

Okay, I was gonna write a very serious reply to you, until I read this:

Lazario wrote:

Okay, at the start of this reply, I was being very careful. I think we're doing pretty good right now and the last thing I want is for us to slip into our old pattern... But, that is an outright patronizing thing to say to another person, in any regard or context. And there's no excuse for it. No matter what attitude you may have thought I had in my last post.

Next time, will you maybe try to consider what the other person may be saying before you insult them? I saw you say in the Sitepocalypse thread that you thought people here were blaming you for the confrontations you get in and that that must change. I agree. But you know it takes two people for these things to happen. You're going to have to change the way you argue too. [...]

With this in mind, can you try to be more understanding in the future?

@Angeldude98: Sorry for the fact that I haven't replied for more than just a few days.

Angeldude98 wrote:

1.Titanic This is one of the best films ever, for me at least. Going to see it when it first came out in 1997 was an experience in itself. I went with a group of my friends, and we had to wait two hours in line to see it, and then we nearly didn’t find any seats! Lucky for us some people sitting in the row we wanted made room for us so we could be together. The movie is a beautiful love story. But when you stop to think that outside the “Jack/Rose” scenario this is actually a true story, it really gets to you. We were all in tears to see the suffering and deaths of the characters. Add Jack and Rose’s story on top, and you have a real tear-jerker! The music was fantastic and the special effects… simply amazing! And the sets and costumes were incredible as well. Now it’s coming out in 3D and you can bet I’ll go see it. I heard the transfer of it is fantastic! No wonder this film was number 1 for such a long time until it was dethroned by…

I posted a rather negative review of Titanic here before, and I'm going to quote myself to make the main reason (amongst other reasons like the poor acting and flat, 2-D characters) why I hate Titanic perfectly clear...

Dr Frankenollie wrote:

...But even if you lay these problems aside, there’s still a huge problem that needs to be looked at. Why is this film told in flashback? We know that means that Rose is going to survive, but that also means we know Jack is going to die-it’s meant to be a tragedy, and the death of Jack will just add to the ‘sadness’. It’s completely predictable. Even though everyone knows how Titanic will end-the ship hits an iceberg-James Cameron could’ve have still created suspense. How?

By not telling it in flashback, and having no narration from Rose; that obviously means there would be more exposition, but then the audience would have the question ‘Who will live and who will die?’ floating round in their minds. Is Rose going to die, or Jack, or even both? That would’ve worked brilliantly.

Worse still is the fact that Rose and Jack are more-or-less the only likable characters in the film. Even if he kept the flashback, James Cameron could have filled the film with countless likable characters, instead of the countless snobs or the poor people who appear for roughly seven seconds each. Obviously, this could have a flaw-if there are too many characters, there isn’t any time to develop or add depth to any of them. But it would’ve been better than the film having only two likable characters that are badly portrayed (and the fact that you know which one of them is going to die).

I'm too lazy to explain why Avatar is garbage right now.

Lazario wrote:

As a matter of fact, my list looks the way it does because of the films you, Frankenollie, and jpanimation already selected. You guys took care of most of the older era classics.

Thank you, I'm flattered.

However, I have to agree with Goliath: there was nothing even remotely patronising about him saying 'sorry.'

I had another reply but I deleted it. I didn't feel it was up to my standards. In fact, I re-did a couple of my old replies BEFORE I posted them because, upon re-reading Goliath's, I found a whole new way to play him. Since he's so into games, I'm replying to him in kind. When he makes an outrageously nonsensical claim about me, I make one about him.

Again- as long as he keeps this up and he started it (which he did), this will continue. I'm willing to admit it's a trap of sorts. But one that is only in service to try (in vain? perhaps) and prove how ridiculous it is for him to always play superior to people.

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